It is widely known that positioning a vehicle in an enclosed environment, such as a garage, requires care and precision. Parking a vehicle in a confined space requires, but is not limited to, the following conditions:
1) Vehicle must be parked sufficiently inside the garage to allow clearance for the garage door to close. The clearance should be minimal.
2) Vehicle should not be parked too far forward inside the garage so as to take up usable garage space which may be used for storage, a work bench, tools, and/or equipment normally operated in the garage.
3) Driver should allow needed space for ingress and egress around the vehicle.
4) Driver must avoid hitting objects or the back wall of the garage that may lead to damage of structure, equipment and/or vehicle.
To accomplish the above, a guide is required to provide the driver with a visual signal to let the driver know when he or she has reached the proper location in which to park. Therefore, a garage parking guide can assure the driver precise parking each and every time a vehicle is parked in the garage. The guide should be universal so that it will work on any vehicle or for any driver of the vehicle.
There has been previous attempts to provide a garage parking guide. However, each has required precise installation and adjustment for a particular vehicle, and/or driver. More particularly, Saunders, U.S. Pat. No. 4813758 issued Mar. 21, 1989 requires the guide to be precisely affixed in a location dictated by the automobile, and precisely adjusted for one particular driver. It further loses flexibility as to the use of the area in front of the vehicle where the device must be affixed. Other patents involve physical levers, electrical connections and hanging devices that activate visual and/or audible signals. Physical signal producing devices: interfere with use of garage space; are unsightly; require maintenance; require repairs and adjustment when lever is bent or broken due to damage caused by vehicle; and audible signals impact household and the neighborhood.
Other past inventions conforming to the physical levers and/or indicator are: Wood U.S. Pat. No. 4036165 issued July 19, 1977 uses a lever to activate audible and visual signal when vehicle moves to its proper location; Bubrich U.S. Pat. No. 4101868 issued June 18, 1978 uses a lever housing indicator which is visible when lever is moved by vehicle to its proper location and makes contact with a transparent sheet material; Mazurek U.S. Pat. No. 3977354 issued Aug. 31, 1976 uses lever to indicate proper position; Lynn U.S. Pat. No. 3844050 issued Oct. 29, 1974; and Brauer U.S. Pat. No. 3817203 issued June 18, 1974 uses a hanging ball device that, when the approaching vehicle's windshield makes contact with said ball, the vehicle has reached the proper position.
Furthermore, earlier guides are disclosed in: Lowell Jr. U.S. Pat. No. 3858966; Sparks U.S. Pat. No. 3793981; Kang U.S. Pat. No. 3621807; Mandi U.S. Pat. No. 3261321; Williams U.S. Pat. No. 3219972; Ross U.S. Pat. No. 2854942; Roemisch U.S. Pat. No. 2693044; Simpson U.S. Pat. No. 2834315; and Pavett U.S. Pat. No. 1981188.
The above devices failed to achieve wide-spread commercial acceptance because although there have been several attempts to provide a parking guide, there has not been one that operates with the rear of the vehicle; is universal, and that will work with any vehicle or driver. It is extremely dependable with no moving parts, and is not dependent on precise adjustment. It is small and obscure, and it may be located in an unusable space selected by the user. It is not dictated by precise placement due to the automobile's travel path. It is simple to construct, attach and use. Is able to show the driver the vehicle's relationship to the door opening and clearance needed to close the garage door. The guide is capable of providing three (3) different views altering image size to the driver by providing normal view, wide view and narrow view. The present invention, therefore, overcomes deficiencies of the past inventions and provides a unique and simple method of providing a garage parking guide.